JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (13-9, 9-7 South Atlantic Conference) will try to keep Anderson down (5-17, 3-13 SAC) when the Trojans come to Holt Fieldhouse looking to snap the longest losing streak in the Southeast Region Wednesday night at 8 p.m.
The Trojans have dropped nine straight games dating back to a 65-58 win over Brevard on Jan. 6 at the Abney Center.
The skid is tied with Southern Wesleyan for the longest losing streak in the Southeast Region, and is tied for the sixth longest in the country. Urbana (18), Simon Fraser (18), Minnesota-Crookston (14), Cheyney (11) and Paine (10) all hold the dubious distinction of losing more games consecutively than the Trojans.
"Our kids have taken great pride and preparation where we should take care of business and have," head coach Chuck Benson said. "Every game ahead of us is a challenging event, so we prepare for everyone the same and respect them same because everyone in this league can beat you on any given night."
The Trojans have especially struggled away from the Abney Athletic Center this season. AU is 0-11 on the road, one of 13 teams in the country who hasn't won a road game this season. The bizarre thing for AU, is its offensive numbers are better away from Abney. Anderson averages more points per game (68.8-67.5) away from home.
The only stats that don't trend favorable away from Abney for AU are field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage.
"A team that's not been winning is always going to be very motivated and determined," Benson said. "Fortunately, I think we're also a determined and hungry team with a lot to play for."
Charles Clark (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), the reigning South Atlantic Conference men's basketball player of the week, recently concluded a stretch of games unlike any seen at Mossy Creek in the last century.
Clark cleared the 30-point threshold three times in four games and averaged 31.75 points per game over the stretch. His 127 points are the most for any men's basketball player since the year 2000. It is just the fourth stretch for an Eagle featuring more than 100 points cumulative over four games. Ish Sanders had 114 combined against Mars Hill, Newberry, Lincoln Memorial and Anderson in his senior season and 113 his freshman year against Tusculum, Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill and Newberry. The latter stretch was aided by a school-record 51 points against the Lions. Clark has the other four-game stretch over 100 points. He closed his freshman season with a combined 101 points against Montevallo, Lincoln Memorial, Newberry and Coker.
Kyle Moore of Tusculum is the only other player in the South Atlantic Conference player to produce a more prolific scoring stretch than Clark. Moore had two stretches of 131 and 130 in his senior season in 2010.
The Eagles are trying for their first ever sweep of Anderson. Carson-Newman won at the Abney Center 67-59 back on Jan. 21 for its first win in that facility since the 2010-11 season.
"I've really be pleased with how fast we've started at times this season," Benson said. "We need to continue to do that, but all we can do is control the things we can control and hope for the best."
Anderson is led by Randall Shaw and his 19.1 points per game. However, Shaw hasn't taken the floor in Anderson's last three contests. Shaw has led AU in scoring 13 times this season, including earlier in the year against the Eagles when he had 21.
In his absence, Tre' Fields has led AU twice with 19 points against Tusculum and 15 against Queens. Maurice Howard led AU with 18 in the Trojans' 72-62 loss at Coker.
Tipoff with Anderson is set for 8 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 7: 45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Country 106.3 (WFPT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
